Now Commenting On:

Maddon still in awe over Game 3 victory

Maddon still in awe over Game 3 victory

10/7/13: Rays manager Joe Maddon discusses Jose Lobaton's walk-off homer into the tank that gave his club a 5-4 win in Game 3 of the ALDS

By Bill Chastain and Adam Berry
/
MLB.com |

ST. PETERSBURG -- Rays manager Joe Maddon was still shaking his head and smiling on Tuesday about Monday night's 5-4 win over the Red Sox in Game 3 of the American League Division Series.

The Rays fell behind, 3-0, then tied the game on Evan Longoria's three-run homer. After the Rays took a 4-3 lead, the Red Sox tied the game in the ninth when Fernando Rodney blew the save. That ultimately led to Jose Lobaton's walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth against accomplished Boston closer Koji Uehara.

When asked about what was most memorable, Maddon again smiled.

"The fact that Longo put us right," Maddon said. "For him to do it again, that's incredible. Beyond that. This is nothing against Lobaton, but their guy is so good that I didn't even have that in my imagination bank right there. That was not going to happen. I'm already thinking about next inning. Fernando's got to go back out there and pitch. Second inning of work, I don't like that. ... I was already there. I think Longo reaffirming who he is here and then Lobaton doing what he did, that doesn't happen every day."

Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @adamdberry. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.